Welcome back to the weirdest of all possible timelines – but also, to Calling in a Favour.
Back when being stuck at home seemed like our most urgent problem, I called up my colleague Fabian Wolff in Berlin. If you’re following German media at all, you may have seen his byline in places like Zeit Online, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Tagesspiegel, or heard his voice on Deutschlandfunk and Radio 1. He also written in English for Vulture, Heeb, and others, too.
Fabian is not only one of the sharpest writers and cultural critics we have, but his knowledge about everything from Russian literature to forgotten German soul pop singers and the Spanish civil war never ceases to baffle me. His musical taste is profound but never snobby, and his writing shows a perfect balance of the celebratory and the damning. Just how the best (pop) criticism should read IMHO.
I’m very happy he agreed to do the show and recommend a broad variety of tunes – ranging from trap’ed out Latinx grooves to country, soul and oldschool rap – as well as other things to read and watch.
Watch out for a no-music, all-comedy special on his next return to the programme.
The Bug & Dis Fig – No (Dub)
Natanael Cano – Aunque Les Pese
Rosalia – Catalina
Tyler Childers – Whitehouse Road
Bobby Gentri – Apartment 21
Carolyn Sullivan – Dead!
Aretha Franklin – Share Your Love with Me (Live at the Fillmore)
JVC Force – Strong Island
Ka – P.R.A.Y.
Nacha Pop – Chica De Ayer
Quelle Chris & Chris Keys – Mirage feat. Earl Sweatshirt, Big Sen, Denmark Vessey, Merrill Garbus
